Two Des Moines men have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Ajang Malou Wour, 43, and Omar Mohamed Nurani, 22, were sentenced on July 11, 2025.
Court documents reveal that Wour began trafficking fentanyl pills in the summer of 2023 after completing a term of federal supervised release. By September 2024, he expanded his operation to include fentanyl powder. Over an 18-month period, Wour distributed more than 60,000 fentanyl pills and 40 ounces of fentanyl powder. Nurani frequently received these pills from Wour and sold them to other distributors and customers.
In June 2024, Wour sold Nurani fentanyl pills that led to a customer’s overdose death. Despite this incident, both continued their illegal activities. Nurani was responsible for distributing over 2,000 fentanyl pills and eight ounces of fentanyl powder.
Wour received a sentence of 144 months in prison with an additional five-year term of supervised release. Nurani was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release. The federal system does not offer parole.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal from the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentences. The case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department with support from the Ankeny Police Department and the Mid-Iowa Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Fentanyl is now the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States, particularly affecting youth aged between 15 to 24 years old where deaths more than doubled between 2018 and 2022. Counterfeit pills laced with lethal doses of fentanyl often resemble pharmaceutical drugs but pose significant risks.
